The Four D's

Allikat86

Hi Dan (newbie to your diary!) - I think lots of people will be feeling the same way at the moment - it’s easy to slip slowly into bad habits! No one is ever ‘on it’ 100% of the time (well, no one that I know anyway!) and some of our habits have been forcibly changed by lockdown... be kind to yourself! With that said, it sounds as though you’re thinking towards your new goals so good luck with that!

FootyFanDan

jadewest94 said:

Morning @FootyFanDan

You know what, I'm exactly the same right now. I'm unmotivated and just can't be bothered right now. Payday seems like months away

I also have been having the odd coffee from our coffee van in the mornings, £2.75 for an ice latte. I had 4 last week. I used the demotion tool on here and nearly died

Also, I had the same issue with eating at my desk at work but I would get asked work related questions on my unpaid half hour break. Petty I know but i started either going outside when it's sunny or just sitting in my car when it rains! 

Time for a kick up my own butt! 

Haha, getting to pay days seem okay for me at the moment. The in-between part where nothing is happening is the part that frustrates me. I just kinda feel like I have lost my mojo a little and I am trying so hard to keep upbeat and positive but failing lol. 

If it was the odd £2.75 here and there I can take that but last week it was three days, week before 2 days and I certainly don't wanna get in that pattern again. 

I just feel like I don't get a break at work, even when I should. Plus I am a little frustrated at present with how the handover from one role to another has been handled.

Here is to us both finding our motivation again....hopefully pretty damn fast lol 

FootyFanDan

mark55man said:

Hi Dan its a long slog, and sometimes you just got to take a slow month.  extra coffees every day every month would be bad, but one now and again is OK, as long as you give yourself a good talking to afterwards so it doesn't get into  habit.

I may have to go to London for some work, which will be the first time for a long time, but the thought of a cheeky Pret flat white and sandwiches on expenses is the most excitement I've had for a while.  Football excepted, and that was glorious until it wasn't

don't beat yourself up about it, but listen to your "inner Martin" when it says enough is enough

Thanks Mark, wise words yet again . I just am so aware of not wanting to slip back into old habits. The odd treat every now and again I can handle, nothing too drastic yet but I need to re-focus my energy.

I have enjoyed the football, Sunday the result wasn't the most disappointing thing really, whilst I was gutted. The scenes I saw before the game and on social media after have really made me question the state of our country. While on the subject it is also making me re-assess my use of social media as at the moment all i see is negative, although I am aware it does good as well.

FootyFanDan

Allikat86 said:

Hi Dan (newbie to your diary!) - I think lots of people will be feeling the same way at the moment - it’s easy to slip slowly into bad habits! No one is ever ‘on it’ 100% of the time (well, no one that I know anyway!) and some of our habits have been forcibly changed by lockdown... be kind to yourself! With that said, it sounds as though you’re thinking towards your new goals so good luck with that!

Hey welcome to my ramblings haha. I don't know why but I always seem to do better when I have a focused goal which is why the idea of new goals appeals to me. I do need to take some time to assess where I want to be and what I want these goals to be. At the moment I am looking to make short term goals but long term I want to ensure I get back into the good habits.

thank you for the words of encouragement, they are appreciated 

alt80

You’re doing good mate. Having a plan to work to, you’ll smash it. How you getting on with that house dep?

Tbh I 100% get the coffee thing; usually have a Starbucks in the morning and lunch at a cafe. Never mind 3 times a week, this is daily during the working week only no spends on the personal side because it’s expensed to my company. Might be technically only !!!!!! myself there before anyone says it but its one of those things that frankly my company can more than afford and I enjoy it tbt. Haven’t strictly given all stimulants up lol. My point is if it helps you unwind from a stressful job I don’t see the harm for what £2.75/d - no big one there mate. 

FootyFanDan

Evening All, hope everyone has had a good day. Today has been a bit of a mixed bag to be honest, I feel exhausted but I think this may be due to vaccine (now fully jabbed, although probably counts for nothing in terms of actually doing anything) 

Today (13/07/2021)

(Done) Look at my daily, weekly to do list - Created lists for this week both home & work (work way more than I would like haha)

(Done) Work Meeting regarding some contractor stuff - This went pretty well, I am starting to get a lot more involved in my new role and although it is present some challenges I am keen to get stuck in 

(In Progress) Update Diary - I have started to do this for home stuff, work diary needs some work but I do need to stick with it as I am now getting more stuff added
(Done) Plan rest of month budget 

Tracker (13/07/2021)

(Done) Drink 2 litres of water - Actually managed this quite easily, is there a set amount that is meant to be a target for daily intake?
(Done) Eat home made lunch and actually come away from my desk! - Shocked I actually managed this one, as I really struggle with getting away from the desk, I just sat in car and listened to some of my podcast while I ate lunch.
(Done) Spend time reading little one a bed time story...seems forever since i did this  - This was a nice one to tick off, I did bed routine tonight which I don't always get a chance to do, we had a little chat about our days and then did a story and she was out for the count...I will count this as a win  

I do need to learn to switch off a bit better from work moving forward, I have more responsibility than I am used to and although I am doing quite well I need to learn that I don't need to be constantly working for me to be successful. Hope everyone enjoys their evening.

FootyFanDan

alt80 said:

You’re doing good mate. Having a plan to work to, you’ll smash it. How you getting on with that house dep?

Tbh I 100% get the coffee thing; usually have a Starbucks in the morning and lunch at a cafe. Never mind 3 times a week, this is daily during the working week only no spends on the personal side because it’s expensed to my company. Might be technically only !!!!!! myself there before anyone says it but its one of those things that frankly my company can more than afford and I enjoy it tbt. Haven’t strictly given all stimulants up lol. My point is if it helps you unwind from a stressful job I don’t see the harm for what £2.75/d - no big one there mate. 

Thanks for the encouragement mate. Great to see the progress you are making in your own journey

I think the coffee is more of a time thing with me rather than anything else, I used to like to get all my work stuff ready night before, work lunches done night before so I can get up and shower then have a coffee at home. Lately this routine has stopped so I tend to go into a costa/starbucks on route. I then realise that I didn't make lunch as planned so end up with some meal deal or subway which is not healthy for me or the wallet haha

The house deposit is now my main focus, I have started to put money into the Help To Buy ISA, its currently at £750 which isn't a lot, however (and you are probably best placed to advise) it is probably going to be two years before my defaults drop off so chances of mortgage right now are probably low. The plan is to spend two years putting money into deposit and hopefully in a few years this is something I can then look to progress. I am quite content renting right now but that has its own risks.

alt80

Thank you. Good to hear you made time for the bedtime story and getting a bit of a work/ life balance back.

Iswyacf re coffees/ lunches. Idk no solution other than if the getting work stuff ready the night before is better for you, do it. Track it if you have to. With you on it not being the healthiest but I'll still be in !!!!!! Starbucks for lunch tomorrow 100%. 

It is possible to get a mortgage with defaults - you're not going to get the best rates and may need to front a bigger deposit but it's not impossible. Are you likely to be in a position to move before the defaults drop off? If so worth having a meeting with a decent broker, if not, just keep saving mate.

Re water I was told 3ltrs/d; managed it for a week once and tbf I didn't give the coffee up to sip water so possibly not something everyone experiences but I could not stop peeing and I'm talking desperate !!!!!! emergency needing a !!!!!! every half hour, OK if you've got an iron bladder I suppose but if not you've been warned haha.

mark55man

Some day all those loo stops is just what I need to get my (quick)steps up.  I try for 2/l per day plus coffees - that'll do 

FootyFanDan

It's Fri-Yay and it is sunny. 

Yesterday was another pretty good day targets wise. I managed 2 litres of water and the work lunch. Although I didn't get much of a lunch yesterday as I was in and out of meetings or prepping for meetings lol. I did manage to spend a bit of the evening watching a film with the little one though before her bedtime which was great.

Today is another busy one at work, but a lot of it is admin stuff so will be an airpods and spotify day whilst working haha. Plus get to be on spreadsheets most of the day so my kinda day. Hope every one has an amazing day and fab weekend. 

Targets

( ) Drink 2 litres of water
( ) Home made lunch away from desk
( ) Eat some fruit!!!!

@alt80 ha, yeah the water intake increase as made the trip to the toilet a lot more frequent. It is nice to be finding some work/family balance but it is tough at the minute as there is a lot going of in the wider family network and also work is crazy at the minute and sometimes I find it difficult to switch off, even to the point of chucking in an extra few hours at home. Re house at present I am content where we are, I love the house (although if it was ours there would be a few changes) and I love the area we are in, The reality is though this place probably won't ever be ours - realistically I have set my goals for home ownership to fall in line with defaults dropping of (most of these fall off December 2022, but some drop off before) It is when I see these that I really hate how i screwed up my finances early on! If I start chipping away at deposit now, then next year increase what i put in I could have an healthy deposit but the reality is that I could be 40 before I get an house which seems too old! haha

@mark55man I have a few tea/coffee through day but I am now mainly on 2ltr water. I just find it so plain haha, although in the warm weather its perfect